By Zach Johnson
Game on!
Kelly Ripa hosts the new comedy quiz game show Generation Gap, from Emmy® Award-winning producers Jimmy Kimmel and Mark Burnett. Premiering Thursday, July 7, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on ABC, the unscripted series pairs teams of seniors and juniors, challenging them to answer pop culture questions about each other’s eras. “It seems like an easy game, but it’s really hard,” Ripa says. “You might be asked questions about something that happened in the 1940s—but you were born in 2010!”
“The funny thing about the game—because it really is more of a comedy show than a game show—is that when they get the answers wrong, they’re so wildly, incredibly wrong,” she adds. “It’s fascinating to see what kids guess when they fill in the blanks about the seniors’ generation—and what the seniors guess is even more compelling.”
Generation Gap was born out of a recurring segment on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! In fact, it’s a big part of the reason Ripa was eager to be part of the primetime game show. “I decided to come on board as a host for Generation Gap because, apparently, they already filled the spot for Jeopardy!” she says with a laugh. “I’m just kidding. I love this bit on Jimmy Kimmel’s show. I always found it to be so funny and charming.”
Just like the recurring segment that inspired it, Generation Gap is riotously relatable. Even Ripa herself says she’s enjoyed seeing the generational differences play out within her family. “My parents are much older, and my kids are much younger, so it’s fascinating to see what their commonalities are, what they know about each other’s generation, and what they don’t know,” the host says. “What they know is always shocking and something to marvel at—but what they don’t know is unbearably funny!”
Speaking of unbearably funny moments, Ripa’s favorite segment is called “Toddler’s Choice.” She explains, “They already won all that money, right? But when you offer a toddler a choice between a new car or a My Little Pony scooter, what do you think they’re going to choose? It’s adorable, too. It’s very sweet. There’s almost no hesitation—no choice! We should rename the segment ‘Watch a Toddler Pick a Toy.’”